Paper file



w, A. ANDERSON PAPER FILE May 10, 1949.

,Filed Feb. 9, 1948 IN V EN TOR. Watren .fi. flndardqzz. BY

Patented May 10, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER FILE Warren A. Anderson, St. Charles, Ill.

Application February 9, 1948, Serial No. 7,209

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements of a pointed spindle type of paper file adapted to impale and securely hold receipts, bills and other papers. More specifically, this invention relates to a paper file having a tubular filing spindle mounted on a base, and a spring-actuated paperpiercing member. The piercing member is normally urged to a partially exposed position, relative to the tubular spindle within which it is held, by a coiled spring. provided whereby papers to be filed are punctured and impaled on the spindle. When the piercing member is accidentally struck by hand or some other part of the body, however, the spring compresses and the piercing member is forced completely into the hollow spindle. The larger, blunt end of the spindle is thereby exposed to absorb the force of the contact thus minimizing or eliminating injury.

An important object of this invention, then, is to minimize or to eliminate injur on the relatively sharp point of the spindle which heretofore has been unyieldingly exposed to contact.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved paper file in which the piercing portion of the file is normally held in an exposed position for puncturing papers but which moves to a shielded position when accidentally contacted so as to prevent injury to the person using it.

A further object is to produce a filing device which embodies safety and yet is simple in construction and therefor cheap to manufacture.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with portions in elevation, of a paper file embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental view of the paper file spindle illustrating the relation of parts, such as the shielded or enclosed position of the piercing member and the compression of the coiled spring, when the spindle is accidentally struck by hand; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the piercing member.

As shown on the drawing:

In the construction common to most paper files or filing spindles, there is usually a base having a Sufficient spring pressure is I vertically extending wire or rod which terminates in a sharp end for puncturing or piercing paper. Many painful, and sometimes serious, accidents have occurred because of the user coming into contact with the pointed end. I have, therefore, sought to eliminate such accidents by providing a piercing member which yields its normal position when pressure is exerted on it greater than is necessary for the member to pierce a piece of paper.

In Figure 1, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention. The paper file l0 shown comprises a base II and a tubular spindle I2 mounted on the base and housing a rod H, a coiled spring [4, and a piercing member IS.

The rod I3 slidingly fits within the tubular spindle and they threadedly engage, as at It, at their adjacent ends. This threaded engagement permits an endwise adjustment of the rod within the spindle for the purpose of regulating, as desired, the pressure exerted by the coiled spring [4 on the piercing member. To facilitate making the adjustment, there is provided at the lower end of the rod a slot 11 into which a screwdriver or other turning tool may be inserted. At its opposite end, the rod provides a seat l8 which engages the lower end of the spring It. The other or upper end of the coiled spring normally urges the piercing member l5 to its outermost or exposed position, as shown in Figure 1.

In order to limit its outward movement and to retain the piercing member within the tubular spindle when the pointed end is in an exposed position ready to pierce a piece of paper, the free end l9 of the spindle is tapered to provide an interior seat. As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the piercing member I5 is tapered to engage complementally the spindle seat and has a slightly rounded piercing end 20. At the opposite end of the member is a pin 2| which is embraced by the upper end of the coiled spring. In this relation of parts the spring normally maintains the piercing member and the tapered seat in engagement.

The device operates in the following manner:

A piece of paper, which is desired to be filed, is pressed down against the piercing point 20 and when punctured is forced down around and along the spindle l2 to seat either on a flat surface 22 of the base or on papers which have already been impaled. As shown in Figure 2, if the user accidentally comes into contact with the piercing member IS, the coiled spring l4 compresses sufliciently for the piercing member to withdraw entirely into the tubular spindle thereby exposing the blunt end 23 of the spindle to contact by the user. The force of the contact is thereby distributed over a greater area and minimizes or completely eliminates injury.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple device and one which will accomplish all of the objects set forth above.

Although I have described a specific use for the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, it will be understoodthat its use may be extended to all fields wherein it is desired to provide an impaling device having means for protecting a user against injury through accidental contact.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to belim'ited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the sp'irltand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A paper file comprising a base, a tubular spindle extending from saidloase and terminating in 'a tapered end, a tapered piercing member within said spindle and having a'puncturing end normally projecting therefrom, said tapered end on the spindle forming -'a seat for limiting the projection of saidpuncturing end, a coiled spring normally maintaining said-piercing memberseated against the tapered end of the spindle, and means for adjusting the pressure exerted by "said coiled spring.

2. A paper file comprising a base, a =tub1il'ar spindle extending from saidbase'and terminating in an end portion defining a tapered seat, "a tapered piercing member shaped to engage complemen'tally said seat and having a puncturing end projecting :out of said spindle, a rod in said spindle having threaded engagement "therewith at the end opposite said tapered seat for endwise adjustment, and a coiled spring between said rod and said piercing member for normally maintaining the seated engagement between the piercing member and the tapered seat, said rod being adjustable to efiect a predetermined pressure exerted by said coiled spring in maintaining said seated engagement.

3. Apaper file comprising abase, ahollow spindlemounted thereon, a piercing member within said spindle and having a puncturing end normally projecting therefrom, means for limiting said projection, a seat member within and adjnstable along said spindle toward and away from the piercing member, means for maintaining said seat member in an adjusted position, and spring means in said spindle between said piercing and seat members.

4. A paper file comprising a base, a hollow spindle mounted thereon and having a tapered end, a piercing member within said spindle and having a tapered puncturing end normally projecting therefrom, :said tapered end on the spindle tor-mingaazseat fnrilimiting the projection of said punc- :tunin end, pressure exerting means normally maintaining the piercing member seated against the tapered end of the spindle, and other means for adjusting the pressure exerted by said pressure exerting means.

WARREN aA. ANDERSON.

A35 file "of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Senseman Aug. '2, 1870 Number 

